City escapes
If you fancy starting off the new year overseas, Katrina Lobley has some suggestions where to go.
Why you should go:
With mild temperatures, you can enjoy the great outdoors as well as indoor pleasures, such as the annual Dubai Shopping Festival (from late December to late January). Although there are seven emirates, New Zealanders mostly explore just two: the capital of Abu Dhabi and its glitzier neighbour, Dubai.
Don’t miss: The Louvre Abu Dhabi (louvreabudhabi.ae ) illuminates connections between cultures and epochs – Jean Nouvel’s domed building is also a work of art. For a tangential insight into falconry, tour the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital (falconhospital.com).
In Dubai, head into the Arabian desert for an overnight safari, admire the Dubai Miracle Garden (November-May) or catch the eye-popping view from the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. See visitabudhabi.ae, visitdubai.com.
Why you should go:
Experience Norway as a winter wonderland. With fewer tourists around, you won’t have to queue for attractions, and accommodation prices are lower in what is normally an eye-wateringly expensive country. Combine snow-based day adventures – such as mushing a pack of sled dogs or tobogganing the two-kilometre Korktrekkeren run near Oslo – with hunting for the magical shimmer of the Northern Lights at night.
Don’t miss: Stay in an igloo – Sorrisniva (sorrisniva.no) in Alta bills itself as the world’s northernmost ice hotel. In Tromso, rent a floating home fashioned from a 1962 ferry (voldahome.no).
Oslo offers a floating sauna boat (kokoslo.no) where you can alternate between heating up and diving into an icy fiord. See visitnorway.com.
The nation also offers memorable taste sensations: seek out lechon (roast suckling pig) and halo-halo (a technicolour icecream sundae). Trek the World Heritage-listed Banaue Rice Terraces north of Manila or head to Bohol near Cebu to see the bizarre bumps known as the Chocolate Hills.
Don’t miss: Dive into the emerald waters of the Palawan archipelago. Go swimming, snorkelling or island-hopping from an El Nido resort (elnidoresorts.com) or take a boat trip along an underground river at Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. See tourism.gov.ph.
HOBART
Why you should go:
Why you should go:
Everyone will think you’re in Japan to ski but powder isn’t the country’s only winter drawcard. Stay in Kyoto for a bargain price, and soak in an outdoor onsen (hot spring) while snowflakes swirl.
Don’t miss: Visit Gifu Prefecture’s Shirakawago. Its World Heritage-listed oversized gassho houses exude charm when dusted with snow.
Kanazawa’s Kenrokuen Garden is transformed in winter with artfully arranged ropes that support the pines’ snow-laden branches.
In Kinosaki Onsen, dress in full winter regalia to clip-clop between the town’s seven public onsen. See jnto.org.au.
Why you should go:
Hardy souls who brave Hungary’s dreary January weather will be amply rewarded. Pull on warm layers to join the locals skating Budapest’s City Park Ice Rink. Afterwards, soak in the grand Szechenyi Thermal Bath in the same park or head to the Art Nouveau wonder of the Gellert Baths. It’s also worth driving two hours to Lake Heviz to take a dip in its thermally warmed waters (the mud is also considered medicinal).
Don’t miss: Tour the Hospital in the Rock Nuclear Bunker Museum beneath Buda Castle that was used as a secret emergency hospital during World War II. Order a glass of the country’s famous Tokaji wine at Szimpla Kert and stay at the musicthemed Aria Hotel. – Traveller Tasmania’s capital oozes respect thanks to the drawcard Museum of Old and New Art, or Mona (mona.net.au). Each January, Brian Ritchie of the Violent Femmes curates the museum’s boundary-leaping Mona Foma (aka Mofo) arts festival (mofo.net.au). In 2019, the unpredictable beast heads north from Hobart to Launceston. Chow down at Hobart’s Templo (templo.com.au), Dier Makr (diermakr.com) or Fico (ficofico.net), or slurp your way around whisky (taswhiskytrail.com) and cider trails (tascidertrail.com).
Warm(ish) temperatures atop Mt Wellington while gazing over Hobart. Embrace the colour purple with a jaunt to Bridestowe Lavender Estate (bridestowelavender.com.au) in the compact state’s north-east. The fields are ablaze until late January. Add a lavender icecream for the perfect holiday snap.
See discovertasmania.com.au.
Don’t miss:
LOS ANGELES
Why you should go:
The weather’s cooler, there’s no May Grey/June Gloom fogging up views and, with crowds down, you can afford to stay in landmark hotels such as the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood. It’s also awards season – the Golden Globes takes place in early January at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. After the mid-month Martin Luther King Jnr Day long weekend, Disneyland is also a little quieter.
Head to Griffith Observatory (griffithobservatory.org) at night for a spectacular view over the City of Angels; by day the Getty (getty.edu) offers an unbeatable perch – admission to both is free. For a hilarious take on showbiz culture, hop aboard TMZ’s celebrity tour. See discoverlosangeles.com.
Don’t miss:
LISBON
Why you should go:
Lisbon’s winters are mild, which means you can traipse up to the viewpoints topping its seven hills without working up too much of a sweat. It’s also a great time to shop, with winter sales all over town, including along the elegant Avenida da Liberdade. If your hands feel chilly, slip on a pair of handmade leather gloves from Luvaria Ulisses (luvariaulisses.com), a notable boutique in the Chiado neighbourhood that’s been around since 1925.
Try a Portuguese custard tart from Pasteis de Belem (pasteisdebelem.pt), which has been baking these tiny sweet treats since 1837. The bakery cafe also sells bolo-rei, a fruity cake served from Christmas until Epiphany, or Three Kings’ Day, in January. For something non-traditional, try an updated codfish cake stuffed with the famed Serra da Estrela sheep’s milk cheese at Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau (en.pasteisdebacalhau.com). See visitportugal.com.
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